This invention relates generally to golf ball practice ranges and devices for the facilitation thereof, and more particularly to a motorized practice green moved to selected locations on the range or in a water pond trap for practice of approach shots and further to such an apparatus that performs the duty of collecting and returning the .used golf balls.
The following patents define the present state of the art.
Uehara, U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,215 discloses a golf practice range that provides a guide way and a putting green on a field. The green is movable intermittently along the guide way, and at each tee there is a distance indicator which displays the distance from the tee to the green every time the green stops at a predetermined point on the guide way.
Mueller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,547 discloses a golf green that is movable along a predetermined track and the golf green being rotatable to provide a multitude of golf green simulated layouts and changing pin positions.
Foley, U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,677 discloses a driving range for driving golf balls from any one of a series of tee points grouped together to a single common golf-driving fairway having a plurality of spaced apart greens, each with a flagged hole. One of the greens is surrounded by man-made pond of water, with a plurality of greens being separated from the driving tee-points by a stream of water, and sand traps with assorted trees, shrubs and/or simulations thereof positioned hetrogeneously. At least two sand traps are positioned adjacent each of the spaced apart greens. And, there is a collection device including a centrifugal pump and a channeling device for separating and collecting golf balls that have fallen into the pond water, and there is a detection indicator mechanisms indicating onto which green a golf ball falls.
Williams Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,161 discloses an apparatus adapted for use as a green on a golf driving range wherein golf balls which land on the apparatus are prevented from remaining thereon. The apparatus includes a golf green surface having a perimeter in the shape of a golf green and an interiorly located cup opening. The apparatus includes self clearing means so that golf balls inherently roll off of the green, or by providing a mechanism which raises and lowers one end of the green surface in order to clear balls therefrom. The self clearing green is well suited for use on golf driving ranges to clear the clutter of golf balls.
Meikle, U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,320 discloses an artificial golf green designed for use at driving ranges. The target green structure is formed at an incline to give users of the golf range the appearance of a larger target due to the perspective effects when viewing an inclined object from a distance. The construction of the target green is sectional to facilitate transportation. The ball landing surface includes artificial turf and an energy absorbing pad for realistic performance.
W. B. Crump, U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,727 discloses forwardly divergent arms, held rigidly so as to form a throat of a conveyer frame, and to swamp the balls on the ground toward an inclined table. A belt conveyor superimposed on the inclined table engages the balls and rolls them up the table so that the balls drop into a container, in which container there are ball carrying cages immersed in water. The golf balls are washed during the collecting operation by the forward and rocking motion of the container. The unit is pulled by any suitable means such as by a motorized vehicle coupled to a crossbar connecting the divergent arms at their widest spaced ends.
Heffley, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,923 discloses a game apparatus comprised of a plurality of target zones each of which is operatively connected to an impact responsive signal generator. There is a signal selecting circuit and a scoreboard by which objects impacting upon the target produce signals above an adjustable level that will register on the scoreboard. In a specific embodiment, the target may take the form of a simulated golf green and is combined with an all-weather golf driving range including a driving booth in which the environment is controlled, a fairway designed such that snow removal and ball retrieval are enhanced, and a device for registering the longer drives.
The prior art teaches the use of a movable simulated ground supported golf green and also teaches the use of ground supported golf ball pickup vehicles. However, the prior art does not teach a motorized water supported golf green ball retriever and return to tee combination. The present invention teaches such a ground or water supported combination apparatus and its related advantages.
It is an object of this invention to retrieve golf balls from the driving range in and around designated green areas and automatically return them to the tee area. There are two typical practice range applications disclosed herein, 1) the conventional ground field range where mechanical ball retrievers are operable, and 2) a unique water pond trap range wherein aquatic retrieval is required. In both of these two types of practice ranges there is a mobile green for the golfer""s short, medium and long range target practice driving of the golf balls. Positioning of the mobile green is made according to the capability of participating golfers.
The ground field practice range state of the art provides golf ball retrieval apparatus, however the more challenging water pond trap at golf courses of the prior art have been lacking in mechanical golf ball retrieval apparatus. This is a water barrier type trap found at many golf courses, to be encountered and conquered by the golfer. Therefore and in accordance with this invention it is an object to provide the aquatic combination of movable-positionable golf greens with ball retrieval and ball return to the tee facility of the range, as shown in the drawings and hereinafter described.
An object of the present invention is to provide a remote controlled mechanized golf green and golf ball pickup and return to the tee apparatus in combination having advantage is not taught in the prior art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an appartus as thus far described which is aquatic and such as to be floated in a water pond trap and movable infinitely therein, and mobile for the gathering of golf balls floating in said pond.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a golf ball drop and conveyer apparatus for the reception of collected golf balls and their automatic return to the tee area of the driving range for reuse.
And, still another object of this invention is to provide lifts to raise the collected golf balls from lower levels, as when floating in the water pond trap or when the tee area is at a higher elevation, and/or at the delivery end of a gravity operated conveyer to the tee, where the golf balls are deposited into a basket for reuse.
And a further object of this invention is to provide means for positionably rotating the green apparatus so as to be oriented to face its direction of travel or with respect to the direction in which golf balls are driven by the golfers from the driving range tee area.
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives set forth.
The present invention provides a movable simulated golf green of a size making it practical for practicing approach shots of a golf driving range, or other location. The apparatus is constructed as part of a positionable vehicle that is mobile so as to be moved about to various selected locations on the range. The green surface is made of a flexible sheet material laid over, but only connected to a structural under layer along its periphery. Thus, an air layer pumped therebetween causes the flexible layer to rise to a position slightly above the structural under layer. The inner facing surfaces of the sheet and under :layer have metallic contact surfaces so that when they contact each other an electrical circuit is closed.
The electical circuit has a power source and there are several lamps for illumination when a golf ball contacts the green surface and forces the metal layers into momentary contact. The circuit is compounded so as to indicate by different color lamps, where the golf ball impact on the green is from a flagpole positioned on the green. The flagpole is supported by the green in an upright position and the lamps are carried by the pole so as to be visible from the tee area of the driving range. Because a momentary lighting of a lamp may not be adequately visible, the circuit includes timed latching relays to selectively lengthen lamp illumination.
The mobile green apparatus in its ground field embodiment provides a ground supported ball pickup means which retrieves stray golf balls laying on the turf and temporarily deposites them into a bin carried by the apparatus for delivery at a drop location and subsequent transport via conveyer means to the driving range tee area
The mobile green apparatus in its water supported embodiment provides a water immersed golf ball collecting means which retrieves stray golf balls floating in the pond water and temporarily holds them for delivery at a drop location and subsequent transport via conveyer means to the driving range tee area.
When the green apparatus is moved from one position to the next on the ground range or in the water pond, it picks up and/or collects stray golf balls laying or floating in its path as it travels about from one range position to another. The device is preferably remotely controlled by radio commands from a fixed location and incorporates an on-board controller that steers the apparatus to each new target position on the golf range; and guides it via a rout for picking and/or collecting stray golf balls laying or floating thereabout.
The foregoing and various other objects and features of this invention will be apparent and fully understood from the following detailed description of the typical preferred forms and applications thereof, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings.